Latest news with #ex-DundeeUnited
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Dundee boss Steven Pressley says he EXPECTED to be booed after competitive debut loss to Championship Airdrie
FALSE START Dundee boss Steven Pressley says he EXPECTED to be booed after competitive debut loss to Championship Airdrie STEVEN PRESSLEY insists he understands fans booing after his debut defeat to Airdrie. The new Dundee head coach saw his Dens Park reign get off to the worst possible start as ex-Dundee United kid Chris Mochrie struck for the Diamonds just seven minutes in. Advertisement 2 Steven Pressley made his competitive debut as Dundee manager against Airdrieonians Credit: Kenny Ramsay 2 The Championship side won 1-0 and and the Dee fans booed Credit: SNS Pressley's slow-starting side couldn't find the equaliser they pushed for late on, with Airdrie boss Rhys McCabe clearing twice off the line from Billy Koumetio while keeper Cade Melrose made a series of stops. Honest Elvis admits his team didn't do enough to merit anything - and admitted afterwards everyone at Dens has had a major reality check. Asked about the fans' jeers, he said: 'I didn't expect anything else. 'When Dundee lose to Airdrie you have to accept you're going to get criticised for it. Advertisement 'There's no excuse for the result, we have to be better and improve in so many different areas. 'Sometimes when you come in, there's a freshness and there's that honeymoon period that I've talked about. You can think you are ahead of where you are. 'Today was reality, the real ball came out and all of a sudden we realise 'wow, we have a lot of work to do'. 'It's work on everything - the whole package from all aspects of our performance, bringing in the right types of players, to the physical performance of the team. Advertisement 'All of those aspects, we have to improve on. Over the piece we didn't do enough. 'There was a rustiness in some of the players' performances, that's natural at this time of the year. But we wanted to avoid the result we got today. Watch hilarious moment Scottish football fan dances the Macarena on the pitch behind the back of his jubilant manager 'The games are going to come thick and fast now, so the challenge is for us to get there and I have confidence in the group to do that. With the right additions we can make that progress. 'It's hard to say when we'll get them, we are trying and pushing to find the right solutions but it's not easy.' Advertisement Pressley's side had plenty of the ball early on but couldn't break down Airdrie's defence before getting a warning on 20 mins when the Diamonds worked a slick corner to Alex King for him to shoot. They got a let-off when that one hit the bar, but Mochrie wasn't as forgiving a minute later latching on to a ball over the top, spinning Ryan Astley then flicking past the badly-exposed Trevor Carson. Fin Robertson almost equalised with a low drive before half-time but was denied by inspired keeper Cade Melrose, who beat it away at his near post. Dundee chucked everything at Airdrie during the second half, but couldn't find a way past keeper Melrose or boss Rhys McCabe. Advertisement The stopper denied Cesar Garza with a great block when faced with the Mexican one-on-one, before the player-gaffer popped up twice to clear Koumetio's headers from Robertson corner kicks off the line. Simon Murray then looked like he was going to level with a quarter-hour left, but Melrose got down to tip his shot wide. Dundee thought they'd equalised in injury time with a Robertson drive from 16 yards but Craig Ross bravely got his head on it to secure the win. McCabe said: 'I thought we were comfortable in the game. Dundee had a lot of possession but didn't really look threatening. Advertisement 'We scored a well-taken goal, it's something we've worked on so it was good to see it executed.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Major Lawrence Shankland update as Hearts jet out to Spain for pre-season training camp
HEARTS are jetting off to Spain this morning for their pre-season training camp WITHOUT striker Lawrence Shankland. Jambos boss Derek McInnes had hoped to persuade him to commit to the Tynecastle club in a further round of talks this week. Advertisement 2 Lawrence Shankland is a key Hearts transfer target Credit: Alamy 2 Derek McInnes and his squad jet out to Spain today Credit: Shutterstock Editorial And he made it clear he wanted him to join his players on their summer trip. But Del's discussions have failed to reach a positive outcome and further doubt over Shankland's future at Hearts has now grown. The 29-year-old is out of contract so free to move elsewhere and has options in both England and abroad. McInnes has been reluctant to put a timescale on when he needs the Scotland striker to make his mind up - but has warned he won't wait much longer. Advertisement He remains convinced staying put is Shankland's best option and has made several pleas to the ex-Dundee United and Aberdeen forward in an attempt to secure him for next season. But with the Jambos players flying to Spain early this morning without Shankland as part of the party, the chances of him signing a new deal appear to be plummeting. McInnes has already added striker Claudio Braga in this window, with Elton Kabangu's loan from USG made permanent. While the door on Shankland is unlikely to be closed completely on the back of his decision to stay put in Scotland, the Jambos are ready to crank up their search for his replacement in the coming days. Advertisement The striker was last sighted undergoing some additional pre-pre-season training in Dubai in the company of none other than Rangers captain James Tavernier. He's had a busy summer already, after tying the knot with his new wife Nicole at a plush Scottish wedding venue at the end of last month. Rangers transfer special including Coady latest, why Turgeman move could be off & why Shankland's a no-brainer He's also been linked with a move to West Brom in England. Links between him and Rangers have gone cold recently with a new broom at Ibrox since the Andrew Cavenagh/49ers Enterprises takeover, but the sight of Shankland training with Tavernier made many Gers fans curious enough at least to see if something could still happen on the transfer front. Advertisement Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Courier
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
The key numbers behind Raith Rovers' move for first summer signing Jai Rowe
Raith Rovers' first signing of the summer, Jai Rowe, has not come from the usual merry-go-round of players available in Scottish football. For a right-back, the recruit from England's National League has come from somewhat leftfield. The 23-year-old had been offered a new deal at former club Boston United, but has instead opted for a new challenge in the Scottish Championship. Courier Sport has taken a look at the numbers that have made the promising defender attractive to Raith. Rowe turns 24 on August 8 but has already packed a lot into his career. Starting out in first-team football with Barwell in England's seventh-tier at the age of just 16, he now has seven seasons under his belt. With three of those years spent in League Two, the full-back has built up a considerable amount of top-team experience for someone his age. Raith will be optimistic the Englishman can hit the ground running at Stark's Park. Rowe has penned a two-year deal with Rovers, and will welcome the stability after going summer to summer down south. Vice-captain Ross Matthews has signed on for just one more year and Callum Smith has agreed only six months as he completes his comeback from a serious knee injury. Previously, others have been handed only 12-month agreements and shorter. So, two years is an indication Raith do not see Rowe as much of a gamble and they expect him to make an impact not just next season but in 2026/27 as well. Rowe featured in 55 games for Boston last season – every single match they played. Of those 55 matches, incredibly he started 52, with his three substitute's outings coming in the league against York City, FC Halifax Town and AFC Fylde. He was Boston's most consistent performer, topping their appearance charts. With Raith having struggled with injuries and consistency at times last term, they will be hoping Rowe can continue being available and dependable. For a full-back, Rowe's goal-scoring statistics are impressive. He has netted 22 times over the course of his career so far, and comes north after his most prolific campaign. The versatile and athletic player was Boston's second-top scorer last season with nine goals in his 55 appearances. It is clear he will add something to Raith in attack as well as defence. Rovers will be hopeful Rowe provides the answer to what has become something of a problem position of late. Over the last two seasons, they have had four right-backs come and go without settling. Ross Millen was a regular but was frozen out due to a disagreement behind the scenes midway through season 2023/24. Since then, James Brown on loan from St Johnstone, ex-Dundee United defender Kieran Freeman and one-time Chelsea youngster Fankaty Dabo have failed to prove themselves a long-term fit on the right side of Raith's defence.
Scottish Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Real Madrid coach with similarities to Steven Gerrard tipped to be next Rangers manager
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) STEVEN Gerrard remains the favourite amongst bookies to end up back in the Ibrox dugout. But a former Premiership manager has thrown a new name in the hat for the Rangers job which he thinks draws similarities to appointing the Liverpool legend. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 5 Real Madrid assistant Davide Ancelotti has been touted for the Rangers job Credit: Alamy 5 He's followed his father, Carlo, to a number of elite clubs Credit: Getty 5 Dundee United manager Tam Courts knows Davide well Credit: Willie Vass Though it would be his first role as a head coach he carries with him a big name and a wealth of experience at some of the world's very biggest clubs. Carlo Ancelotti's son, Davide, has followed closely behind his father to land a number of massive roles but the near future is up in the air for the duo. Davide has been assistant manager to his dad at Real Madrid since 2021, winning two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues amongst other silverware. Prior to this he was also number two to his old man at Everton, Napoli, and Bayern Munich, and was a fitness coach when the pair were at PSG. But he could become available in his own right soon with Carlo set to depart Madrid at the end of this season and become boss of the Brazil national team. Currently aged just 35, the young coach achieved his Uefa Pro Licence two years ago when he shared a course with ex-Dundee United gaffer Tam Courts. The man who guided the Tannadice side to European football in 2022 before leaving to seek other options has a friend in Davide Ancelotti. A short spell at Budapest Honved after the Tangerines led to him taking an extended break from management to attain his Pro Licence, and since then he's kept in touch with the Madrid man. Now working behind the scenes at Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, Courts has talked up his pal from afar amid uncertainty around Barry Ferguson's post-interim future. Speaking to Record Sport, he said: 'Davide absolutely has the mentality and the temperament to manage Rangers. Just by his personality. David Friel explains why Sean Dyche has what it takes to be the next Rangers manager "He's very humble but he has a lot of decisiveness too. He's a man of character and has a bit of steel about him. "A lot of that comes from what he doesn't say, as opposed to what he does. Because he's a man who chooses his words very carefully. 'There's no doubt, even though he's worked at top clubs like Napoli, PSG, Bayern and Real Madrid - working in Glasgow, particularly because of the passion and size of Rangers, it's still a unique and challenging job. 'With talk of the takeover, it's a really interesting time to be considered to be Rangers' next head coach. But Davide speaks perfect English and multiple languages. 'And I totally understand why he's a guy Rangers would be considering, especially in terms of player attraction and retention. 'He's a big name. Players would want to come, not just to play for Rangers, but for him as well. 5 Carlo will become Brazil manager soon, possibly leaving Davide at a loose end Credit: Getty 5 He's drawn a comparison to favourite for the job Steven Gerrard Credit: Getty 'And if top players at Ibrox are casting their eye elsewhere, I think they'd be interested in working with Davide if he was appointed.' The two bonded during their course in Wales with the ex-Kelty boss saying the Italian showed an interest in the Scottish game. He continued: 'You build a close relationship with these guys because you're going through the experience together. Davide, as you might imagine with the Ancelotti name, is very unassuming. 'But he has a lot of conviction and charisma. He has a lot of good human qualities. Above all else, he's a top person who was keen to learn from everyone. Davide always had a keen interest in the Scottish game. 'He'd worked with Duncan Ferguson at Everton so had a bit of an insight into Scottish football. He was always open and very interested in different leagues. 'It's amazing when you look at Davide's career so far. He's done a long apprenticeship. Initially, he had a junior position with his father. 'But it was when they went to Bayern Munich that he became the assistant manager. Davide also has a sports science degree so he does a lot of the analysis at Real Madrid, as well as the coaching. 'He's a guy who is very studious on the game, as you can imagine. And he's always been very clear that, at some point, he wants to be his own man. Rangers next manager odds Acurate to bet365 as of 12/5/25 Steven Gerrard EVS Russell Martin 7/2 Davide Ancelotti 9/1 Frank Lampard 9/1 Marco Rose 11/1 Danny Rohl 12/1 Derek McInnes 16/1 Barry Ferguson 20/1 Gary O'Neil 20/1 Jose Mourinho 20/1 'You have to understand the level of players he's worked with and what he's won - he's won major honours in his career. When you do that, you have a natural gravitas.' Davide's playing career was far from show-stopping, but the name and former clubs alone carry worldwide renown in a way similar to how Premier League hero Gerrard did. Courts said: 'It might be unfair to make the comparison, but when Steven became a manager for the first time at Rangers, it was a bit of an eye-opener. 'But it's quite similar to Davide and it's easy to draw parallels. Steven came from Under-18's football but had a big name. Davide's name speaks for itself. 'And what he has is more of a foundation and more experience of working on the training pitch with top players. "Also, he'll have been spending the last year or two thinking about his staff and how he'd want to assemble it if he ever became a manager.' With two league games left and a delayed takeover looming still, the Gers can soon hope to focus more on the next permanent appointment. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Latest next Hearts manager odds with new favourite
Critchley took over from Steven Naismith in October, when the club was struggling at the bottom of the league, and successfully steered them 11 points clear of relegation. However, he was unable to achieve the key target of finishing in the top six - which means there will be no European football at Tynecastle next season - and came under growing pressure after a Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen. The former Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool manager won just 14 of his 35 matches in charge, leading to mounting criticism particularly with his inability to mastermind a victory during high-stakes matches. He was ultimately dismissed by the board after a series of poor results with only a few weeks left of the Premiership season, despite insisting he could successfully turn the situation around. Read more: As speculation mounts over who will be the next man to sit in the Hearts hot seat, McInnes has emerged as the frontrunner on Wednesday. The 53-year-old has been at Kilmarnock since January, securing European football for the club after a fourth-placed finish last season, and has long been tipped for a return to one of Scotland's top jobs following his successful tenure with Aberdeen. John McGlynn, a former Hearts boss, is priced at 7/1. McGlynn has led Falkirk to the brink of a return to the Scottish Premiership and has a history with Hearts. Though his lack of recent top-tier experience could be a factor, his strong emphasis on youth development and club culture would make him a popular choice among fans. Former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson is joint-third in the betting at 8/1. Neilson, who has twice previously been in charge at Hearts, knows the club inside and out. His past success at Tynecastle makes him a familiar figure, but a return would likely divide opinion among the fans. Currently out of work after leaving his position at Tampa Bay Rowdies, Neilson's familiarity with the club and relationships within it are strong selling points. Stephen Robinson, currently managing St Mirren, is another potential candidate. His tactical acumen and ability to get results with modest resources have turned heads. His high-pressing style and disciplined defensive shape could be a good fit for Hearts. Robinson is priced at 8/1, tied with Neilson, and his reputation in the Premiership could make him a tempting option. Further back in the betting are Ian Evatt, Kim Hellburg, and Rob Page (all 10/1). Evatt, the former Bolton Wanderers boss, has impressed in England's lower leagues with an attacking style and modern outlook, though he remains untested in Scotland. Hellburg, currently head coach of Hammarby IF in Sweden's Allsvenskan, offers a fresh, data-driven approach, while Page, the Wales national team manager, has international experience that could appeal to Hearts. Other names mentioned are Livingston gaffer David Martindale and ex-Dundee United head coach Tam Courts. Read more: Next Hearts manager odds in full: Derek McInnes - 1/1 (Evens) John McGlynn -7/1 Robbie Neilson - 8/1 Stephen Robinson - 8/1 Ian Evatt - 10/1 Kim Hellburg - 10/1 Rob Page - 10/1 Per-Mathias Høgmo - 10/1 Gary Rowett - 12/1 Gareth Ainsworth - 14/1 Michael Skibbe - 16/1 Arnur Gunnlaughsson - 16/1 Tam Courts - 16/1 Steven Pressley - 16/1 Charlie Adam - 20/1 David Martindale - 20/1
